Page:An Etymological Dictionary of the Norn Language in Shetland Part I.pdf/537

ketthuntlin [ᶄet·ho‘nt··lɩn], sb., tabu-name, sea-term for cat. Whⁿ. Originally the word probably denotes a mystic being, something between a cat and a dog [*kettu-hyndla]. See further under *Keddhontla as the name for an ogress, really the same name as ketthuntlin.

kev [kēv, ᶄēv], vb., 1) to struggle with something, to try to execute work, but without success; to k. wi’ a ting. Sa. [kēv]. 2) continually to make large but feeble movements with the hands, to k. wi’ de hands. Nm. [kēv, ᶄēv]. 3) to wrestle in fun; to k. wi’ ane anidder [‘one another’]. Sa. [kēv]. Nm. [kēv, ᶄēv]. 4) to contend for something in an eager, impudent manner (of one sticking his face close to that of another in eager assertion); to k. op in ane’s face; he cam’ kevin op in or into my face. Nm. [kēv, ᶄēv]. Also as vb. a.: to k. ane op; he kevd me op. Nm^w. [kēv]. 5) to talk largely, but without any weight, to k. and speak. Nm^w. [kēv]. 6) to interfere, meddle with another person’s affairs, to k. wi’ onybody [‘any-’] or onyting. Sa. [kēv]. 7) to fall on the wrong side; “de corn kevd doon i’ wir [‘our’] face”, in mowing corn. Nmⁿ. [kēv]. 8) to be overcome with weariness or sleepiness, letting the head drop forward, to drop off, to fall asleep, esp. in conn. with “ower”: to k. ower. comm.: [kev]. As adj.: kevd [kēvd], overcome, quite exhausted. Wests. — Prob. a deriv. of O.N. “kaf”, at any rate, with regard to several of the senses given above. Cf. a) O.N. kefja, vb., to press down; sink; dive down, Icel. kafinn, perf. part. of “kefja”, and adj., overwhelmed, Sw. dial. kävja, vb., to work eagerly; b) Shetl. kav, vb., and the senses of No. and Sw. dial. kava, vb., given under this word. Further: No. kava,

vb., to fumble, to move the hands as if pushing something away, Sw. dial. kava and käva, vb., to fumble with the hands, Sw. dial. keva, vb., inter alia to make feeble attempts or efforts. With kev 3 and 4 may also be compared No. kjevja(st), vb., to wrangle — compare with the latter, kegl, vb., in the senses 6 and 8 — and with kev 5 cf. No. kjeva, vb., to talk vaguely. A few senses of the Shetl. word, esp. sense 1, may also contain No. keiva, vb., a) to use the left hand; b) to bungle, to work awkwardly; c) to throw obliquely; to twist; writhe; see kevl², vb.

kevl, kevel¹ [kevəl, kɛvəl (kⁱevəl, kⁱēvəl)], sb., a bit, a short billet of wood put into a lamb’s mouth to prevent it from sucking the ewe. kebl, kebel [ᶄē^əbəl]: Uⁿ. occas. For the forms of pronunc., see kevl¹, vb. — O.N. kefli, n., cylindrical piece of wood, a bit.

kevl, kevel² [kevəl], sb., badly and clumsily executed work, muddle; to mak’ a k. o’ a ting. Sa. From Sa^e (Snaraness) and Ai^w. the word is reported in the special sense of too thickly spun worsted. Prob.: *keifl-. No. keivl, n., a bungle, clumsy work.

kevl, kevel¹ [kevəl, kɛvəl (kⁱevəl, kⁱēvəl)], vb., to put a billet of wood, kevl, into the mouth of a lamb to prevent it from sucking the ewe; to k. a lamb. This practice was common in milking the ewes, “kevəl, kɛvəl” are the common forms of pronunciation. “kⁱevəl” is reported from Fe., “kⁱevəl” from Uⁿ. In Uⁿ. is found a parallel form kebl, kebel [ᶄē^əbəl]. From Nmⁿ. (N.Roe) is reported a form with preserved, original fl.: kefl [kæf^əl]. — Metaph. kevl is sometimes used in sense of to take hold of, to collar; “I’ll k. dee”; see kavl¹, vb. — O.N. kefla, vb., to provide with a bit, kefli; “kefla lamb”